I am an emeritus professor from Cornell University and was a Commissioned Lay Preacher in the Presbyterian Church (USA). For many years I have followed the Daily Lectionary as printed in the Mission Yearbook of my church. For each day of a two-year cycle, the lectionary lists four psalms and three other scriptural passages--usually one from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament. My practice is to copy down a verse or two from one of the psalms and from each of the other three passages. After I have written out all four selections, I reflect upon them, rearrange their order, and incorporate them into a meditation. Sometimes I retain much of the original wording; sometimes all that remains of a selection is an idea that was stimulated when I read the original words. All selections are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. For the Daily Lectionary, see the link below.


Clever or Courageous--Feb. 20, 2012



Peter had courage enough to
follow Jesus and the soldiers
to the high priest's courtyard;
then Peter saw danger and hid.

O, God make us strong to know
when we should hide from danger
and when--in the interest of others--
we must not let danger block our way.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 5; 145; 82; 29
Prov. 27:1-6, 10-12
Phil. 2:1-13
John 18:15-18, 25-27

Selected Verses
Ps. 29:11
May the LORD give strength to his people!
      May the LORD bless his people with peace!

Prov. 27:12
The clever see danger and hide;
      but the simple go on, and suffer for it.

Phil. 2:4
Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.

John 18:25
Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. [The police in the court yard of the high priest] asked him, "You are not also one of his disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not."
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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